kui****g

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You know, I started using those plastic taping knives as a goof a while back and found to my surprise that I actually liked them. I thought they were comfortable and smooth and great especially for small jobs when I'm feeling like just using a small throw-away bucket instead of a mudbox and tossing everything afterwards. Still have an assortment of good ole fashion metal taping knives, but I dont' hesitate to reach for the plastic ones at all. They have good flex to them too if that helps some people. Careful though if you do use them, the DO have a one tapered edge which is hard to notice at first.

Disposable is a good idea for mudding stuff

I definitely agree the idea of throw away stuff to avoid cleaning as it is such a pain to clean... but dispose the bucket is kind of expensive though...for mudding knife, on the other hand, isn't really need to clean if you don't care about the handle... the knife itself can be clean easily by using two knifes scatching each other and I found that quite entertaining, like a Japanese chief doing in those resturarant with those pan fire beef..or like Jackie Chan playing KangFu... etc... as long as cleaning does not require water.... it is ok...

for mixing setting type compound... definitely use disposable container... I like to mix small amount at a time with those plastic food container from supermarket... using any sticks/screw drivers etc... rather than mixing with mixer with big bucket.... then you don't need to clean the mixer and the bucket....setting compound is a real pain to clean....

I think those business minded people out there should invent more disposable tools for mudding then they can make some money... I wonder why there isn't those liner which we can put on regular bucket to house the muds and dispose after use being invented... I would the first person to buy them if there are such....

Yes 100% 3 coats

This answer is going to end with another question that poses perhaps even more expertise.

Yes you need 3 coats, however; there are many dependant variables.

1. the kinda of mud you use
2. drying time
3. how far they have been counter sunk
(probably more factors as well)

To answer why 3 coats, as well the technique used for 3 coats is also important.

First coat ( this is the part going to my question )
Using 'taping mud' to fill for first coat./ "ALWAYS CRACKS AND SHRINKS"

Second (tape mud again or topping finishing mud) coat a must because first coat crack shrinks. This looks almost perfect. However;

Third coat needed for a true perfect look.

TECHNIQUE : now when you put your mud in to fill nail holes, you do not EVER leave excess mud on the board. You always "scrape clean at a 90 angle with your knife" If you don't do this, you will have sanding hell.

Myth: some think they can simply put lots of mud to 1 coat nails. Well good luck with that it's NEVER worth the amount of sanding, vs 3 coating scrape clean.

Two Coat Possibilities: *I have experimented a lot, 2 coat is doable"

You must first coat with a hot mud, quick dry, this also enables you to go back and do 2nd coat REALLY FAST because hot mud dries and cures even faster in small amounts. ie; the screw head fill is tiny, and hot mud will cure, and completely turn white enabling you to coat it second time with NORMAL mud, either tape mud or topping mud. I wouldn't use all purpose or filling mud at this point. Finishing mud only over top of the Hot mud and only after the hot mud is white in the screw heads.

IT IS ESSENTIAL IF YOU TRY HOT MUD YOUR SCREWS THAT YOU SCRAPE CLEAN!!!

SCRAPE CLEAN!!! if you don't, sanding...... input screams here. if you don't know what I mean by scrape clean, please don't use hot mud as it will cause you a nightmare.

Opinion on two coating:

Even though I have done it, tried it, really tried, "to save time" i still found a 10% failure rate in the fills. (means I had to still go back and touch up a few screws after prime)
So even if I hot fill my screws, I'll still go back and hit them 2 more times with either taping mud or topping / filling compound. always using finishing/topping compound last over nails, and always scraping clean for all coats gives a 100% perfect NONE NOTICEABLE screw head all the time.. rather 99% till you fix them before final paint.

FISHING THE SCREW HEADS:

Very VERY light sand... ah.. wasn't that easy!

[[ i will come edit this more, i read it see I missed a few things, and would like this to be a complete answer]]

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Last edited by drywalldave; 09-17-2011 at 02:57 AM.
Reason: missed something that needed to be added